Delicate goods tray for dryers



May 2, w67 .3. A. LAUCK 3,316,659

DELICATE GOODS TRAY FOR DRYERS Filed Aug. 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. A. I ALJCK DELIOATE GOODS TRAY FOR DRYERS May 2, T1967 iled Aug.

n l INVENTOR.

www ATTORNEYS United States Patent() 3,316,659 DELICATE GOODS IRAY EUR DRYERS .lohn A. Lauch, Stevensville, Mich., assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 387,557 6 Claims. (Cl. 34-133) The present invention relates generally to drying equipment as used, for example, in laundry and dry cleaning, and more parti-cularly relates to :a delicate goods tray which positions a batch of delicate goods station-arily within the treatment Zone of a dryer of the rotatable drum-type. A stream of temperature conditioned air is circulated through the treatment zone to dry the delicate goods that are contained in the stationary tray.

While drum-type dryers are very effective and suitable for drying a wide variety lof materials, the tumbling action inherent in such dryers may beunnecessary to certain materials such as delicate Afabrics made of synthetics.

It is desirable to be able to utilize the tumbling elfects of a drum-type `dryer to accommodate material which can withstand the tumbling action of such a dryer, but to be able to utilize the temperature c-onditioned air stream of the dryer for drying `articles which do not require the tumbling action and which should preferably remain irnmobile, thereby enabling a single dryer to perform two functions which -c-ould otherwise be performed only by utilizing two separate dryers.

The dual-purpose drum-type dryer `of the present invention requires little or no modification, such as removal of the drum, in accommodating, firstly, material which can be tumbled and, secondly, material which should preferably remain immobile during the drying operation. Further, in both arrangements the material to be dried is positioned within the'dryer in an optimum position for exposure to the circulating air stream. Furthermore, in both instances, the dryer is able to accommodate an appreciable quantity of wet material, limited only by the physical size and heating capacity of the dryer.

It is, therefore, an object yof the present invention to provide a dryer which is basically `of the rotatabledrum type for drying materials which are able to withstand the tumbling action of such a dryer, but which is also suitable to dry delicate material which should preferably remain immobile during the drying process.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drum-type dryer which can be simply and easily converted to a delicate garment `dryer wherein the delicate garments to be dryed should preferably remain stationary during the drying process.

Another yobject of the present invention is to provide a dual purpose dryer suitable for alternatively subjecting material to be dried to a tumbling action and then for holding more delicate material to be dried in xed position during a drying process.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a drum-type dryer wherein material in the drum is situated in the ilow path of an 'air stream being circulated through the drum, and which is provided with means for holding delicate material to be dried immovable but also within the flow path of the air stream Within the drum. k Y

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example only.

3,316,659 Patented May 2, 1967 rice In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a tumbling drum-type dryer having mounted within the drum thereof a dry tray or basket constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is similar to FIGURE 1 but illustrates another embodiment of the basket;

FIGURE 3 is a side View lof the dryer of FIGURE l with portions thereof -cut away to illustrate the disposition of the FIGURE 1 embodiment of the basket within the drum 'and method and means for mounting the basket within the drum; and

FIGURE 4 is similar to FIGURE 3 but shows only a fragmentary side view of the dryer having the embodiment of th-e dry basket shown in FIGURE 2 mounted within the drum.

As shown in the drawings:

Although the principles of the present invention are of utility in any drum-type drying apparatus, or to a combination washer-dryer a particularly useful application is made to laundry apparatus for drying material such `as articles of clothing and the like, and an illustrative embodiment herein shown consists of an automatic dryer of the home appliance type.

Referring to the drawings, an automatic dryer suitable for use in the home is indicated generally at reference numeral lil and comprises a housing or cabinet 11 having mounted on a top wall 12 thereof a control console 13.

Mounted within the cabinet 11 for rotation on a horizontal axis is a cylindrical dryer `drum 14 adapted to confine a load or quantity of damp material such as articles of clothing and the like and to subject the material to a tumbling action as the drum rotates -on its axis.

Also housedvwithin the cabinet 11 is a drying system arranged to circulate a drying agent such as temperature conditioned air through the drum as the damp material therein is being tumbled and moisture is removed by evaporization.

A peripheral w-all 16 of the drum 14 may be perforated such as to enable the warm air to circulate transversely through the drum or the dryer may be of the type as shown in the illustrated embodiment wherein the peripheral wall of the drum is solid and the warm air is circulated through the perforated back wall 23 of the drum 14.

A treatment zone Afor drying material is formed by the peripheral wall 16, the front wall 24 and perforate back wall 23 of the drum 14. A rear bulkhead 25 provides a rear enclosure for the perforate back wall 23 and sealing material 5S secured to the periphery at the rear proximal end of drum 14 byla securing band 59 provides a sliding seal against the rear bulkhead 25 when the drum 14 is rotated. Temperature conditioned air is drawn into the drum 14 through inlet opening 60 and out of the drum through outlet opening 61 by blower 62 which is driven by electric motor 9 via belt 65. The air is heated before being drawn into the drum 14 by passingit over an air heating means, such as electrical resistant heaters 63 located in an air tempering conduit 64 that is positioned exteriorly to the rear bulkhead 25.

Suitable means for driving the drums 14 and the blower 62, such as an electric motor, is also provided within the cabinet 11 and a control knob 17 is mounted on the console 13 to control the temperature of the air stream and the duration of the drying cycle.

The cabinet 11 comprises a front wall 17 having formed therein centrally thereof with respect to the drum 14 a recessed portion 1S which, in the illustrated embodiment, is rectangularly shaped. An access opening 19 is formed in the recess surface 18 for loading and unloading a quantity of material into and out of the drum 14, and a closure door 2t) shaped complementaiily to the shape of the recess surface 18 is hinged as at 21 to cover the opening 19 during operation of the machine.

Drum-type dryers of the type illustrated in the drawings are particularly effective in reducing the time period required to dry the material confined therein by tumbling the material as the drum rotates. Such tumbling action tends to open up the material and expose increased surfaces of the material to warm air which is circulated throu-gh the drum. Some fabrics, however, such as delicate garments of clothing including, for example, synthetic fabrics, do not require tumbling action.

It is contemplated by the present invention that there be provided a receptacle or basket 22 as indicated in FIG- URE 1 adapted to be non-rotatably mounted Within the cabinet for confining material such as delicate garments whereby the material is maintained in fixed position while bein-g subjected to the drying effect of the warm air, and is preferably situated in the flow path of the warm air stream. As shown in the illustrated embodiments by the air path (broken line arrow in FIGURES l and 2) from inlet 60 to outlet 61. The receptacle 22 is positioned intermediate the inlet 60 and the outlet 61, thus the materials placed therein will receive benefit from the drying air.

The mounting arrangement for the basket does not require the rotatable drum 14 be removed from the cabinet nor need it even be disengaged from its drivin-g motor. Such mounting means is particularly characterized as comprising a coupling connection `for mounting one end of the basket 22 on the back wall of the drum at the axis thereof, and for mounting the other end of the basket on a stationary surface which may preferably comprise a portion of the cabinet for maintaining the basket in fixed position even while the drum 14 rotates.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the drum 14 comprises a back or end wall 23 and a front wall 24 situated adjacent the front wall 17 of the cabinet 11.

Althou-gh many dryer constructions employ a cantilever type mounting arrangement wherein the drum is rotatably journalled by a support connected to the rear wall, in the illustrated embodiment, both the perforate back wall 23 and the front wall 24 are supported for rotation within the cabinet 11 and for that purpose a journal or bearing member 26 is mounted on the rear bulkhead 25 for receiving an axle or mounting shaft 27. The shaft 27 is fxedly mounted to the drum 14 and the drum 14 is driven by electric motor 9 via a driving lbelt 35 engaging the peripheral wall 16 of the drum 14.

The front wall 24 has formed thereon an annular outturned flange 28 disposed radially outwardly of a complementarly shaped flange 29 formed in the recessed surface 18 of the cabinet front wall. It will -be appreciated that the ange 29, which also forms a door well for the opening 19, is a stationary member, and sandwiched between flanges 28 and 29 are an annular 'bearing ring 30, which may be constituted of a synthetic plastic material and a bearing shoe 31 which may be made of porcelainized metal for rotatably supporting the front wall 24 of the drum.

Also mounted on the back wall 23 on the interior side thereof is a `dish-shaped support 32 centrally apertured at the axis of the drum as at 33 to receive in fixed assembly a sleeve bearing 34, which may be made of nylon, and which is axially apertured as at 36.

The receptacle or dry basket 22 extends substantially between the front and rear walls 23 and 24 of the drum 14 and comprises a rear wall I37 and a front wall 38 and, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, a pair of side walls 39 and 40 shaped complementarily to the door well or flange 29.

As noted, a shaft 41 is formed `on and projects axially from the back wall 37 of the basket to be slida'bly received in the bearing 34. In order to facilitate insertion of the shaft 41 into the bearing, a |front surface thereof is formed with la slightly converging taper forming a finder or pilot portion 42.

As mentioned, the bearing 34, and the shaft 41 when it is received in the bearing 34, are situated coaxially with respect to the axis of the drum 14, and the shaft 41 is sufficiently loosely fit within the bearing 34 that rotation of the drum 14 does not effect movement of the basket 22.

As seen best in FIGURE 3, the side walls 39 and 40 partially overlie the door well 29', and are constructed and shaped such that by resting the side Walls 39 and 40 on the d-oor well, which serves as a stationary friction support surface, the basket 22 will be supported substantially horizontally. i

The walls of the basket are preferably formed of foraminous material such as a plastic screen, and when the basket has been mounted within the drum and the side walls thereof have been lowered to engage the door well, the frictional force between the side walls of the basket and the stationary door well will restrict rotative movement of the basket even while the drum 14 is rotating.

It will be noted that the embodiment of the basket illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 is essentially of unitary construction, and the width of the basket or that dimension of the basket extending transversely to the drum is limited by the size of the opening 19 formed in the front wall of the cabinet and the opening in the drum Wall 24 formed by the outturned flange 28.

In order to increase the allowable transverse dimension and therefore the loading capacity of the basket, an alternate embodiment thereof indicated at reference numeral 22a in FIGURES 2 and 4 comprises a pair of similar half-sections 43 and 44, the transverse dimension of each of which, that is that dimension which extends transverse to the axis of the drum when the basket is positioned within the drum, is less than the size of the opening 19.

The two sections 43 and 44 are joined together along their longitudinal axes by means of a pair of hinges 46 and 47 such that the two sections can be folded one over the other to permit insertion of the basket into the interior of the drum 14 through the openings formed in the drum and the cabinet, and then can be opened to an unfolded state as depicted in FIGURE 2 after it is positioned within the drum.

Hinges 46 -and 47 comprise respectively a pair of plates 48 and 49 mounted respectively in overlying relation on the two sections 43 and 44. The mounting shaft 41a is formed on the plate 49, and at the opposite end of the basket 22a a support member 50 is connected in fixed assembly to the plate 48 for supporting the front portion of the basket on the door well 29.

More particularly, the support member S0 comprises a disc-shaped handle plate 51 having an opening formed therein as at 53 to enable the basket to be easily grasped. A pair of support legs S4 and 56 are connected in fixed assembly to the member 51 for frictionally engaging and for supporting the front end of the basket.

It will be noted that the handle plate 51 is axially spaced with respect to the basket 22 by means of a spacer bar 57, and that the longitudinal or axial dimension of the basket is such that the front end of the basket does not overlie the door Well 29. Such construction enables the basket 22a to be folded and unfolded when it is disposed within the interior of the drum.

It will be noted that the relative disposition of the shafts 41 and 41a and the bearing 34 can be reversed such that the shaft can be mounted on the end wall 23 of the drum and the bearing can be mounted on the basket. Further, any other suitable coupling means for non-rotatably supporting the basket on the end Wall of the drum at the axis thereof is contemplated within the scope of the invention.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably come Within the scope of my contribution to the art.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are dened yas follows:

1. In a dryer, a cabinet, a dryer drum means having a cylindrical wall journalled for rotation within said cabinet for tumbling materials therein ras the Wall is rotated, said drum means having an access opening of a given size formed at one end thereof, means forming a removable horizontal support onto which a batch of materials to be dried may be placed,

said support means being dimensioned for insertion through said access opening into the interior of said drum means and being smaller than the interior diameter of said cylindrical wall when aligned in material supporting position, mounting means carrying and positioning said support means within said drum means in a xed non-rotatable position unaffected by rotation of said cylin drical wall and including axially extending portions for engaging an adjoining stationary surface on said cabinet adjacent said access opening when said support means is inserted into said drum means. 2. In a dryer, drum means including a cylindrical wall rotatable in the direction of its circumferential extent for selectively tumbling clothes in a treatment zone inwardly of the wall during a normal drying operation, and tray means removably mounted inwardly of said wall and being dimensioned so as to be spaced from said wall to support a batch of delicate goods in said treatment zone and stationary support means including a cabinet having a wall forming a stationary door well for an access opening through which clothes may be placed in the dryer for tumbling and through which said tray means may be inserted, and means on said tray means engaging said door well to support said tray means in a lixed non-rotatable position unaffected by rotation -of said drum means during a delicate goods drying operation. 3. A dryer comprising drum means including a cylindrical wall disposed to rotate on a horizontal axis and forming a drying chamber inwardly of said wall, drive means for selectively rotating said wall at tumbling speed to tumble materials placed within said drum means through said drying chamber, and a stationary delicate goods support extending through said drying chamber generally horizontally land being smaller than the diameter of said cylindrical Wall and mounting means for removably mounting said stationary delicate goods support in said drum means including a cabinet having a stationary door well adjacent a corresponding access opening of said drum means into which extends a portion of said support for mounting engagement therewith to selectively position delicate goods in said drying chamber,

whereby on rotation of the cylindrical wall the delicate goods support is in a fixed non-rotatable position.

4. A dryer as delined in claim 3 and further characterized by air translating means having a circuit including said drying chamber and through which a stream of air is directed.

5. In a clothes dryer,

a cabinet,

a cylindrical dryer drum journalled for rotation within said cabinet,

an opening of a given size formed in one end of said drum,

a dryer basket having a plurality of sections hinged together to accommodate folding over of the sections from an open state into a compactly arranged folded state,

said basket being dimensioned in its folded-over state for insertion through said drum opening into the interior of said drum and being smaller than the interior diameter of said drum when opened, and

mounting means supporting and positioning said open basket within said drum independently of the support of said drum whereby on rotation of the drum the basket remains in a fixed non-rotatable position.

6. In a clothes dryer,

a cabinet,

a cylindrical dryer drum journalled for rotation within said cabinet,

an opening formed in one end of said drum,

an elongated non-rotatable dryer basket having a plurality of sections hinged together in a direction parallel to the length of said basket to accommodate transverse folding over of the sections from an open state into a compactly arranged folded state,

said basket being dimensioned in its folded-over state for insertion lengthwise through said drum opening into the interior of said drum and being smaller in its open state than the interior diameter of said drum, and

mounting means supporting and positioning said basket in its open state within said drum independently of the support of said drum whereby on rotation of the drum the basket remains in a xed non-rotatable position.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 492,147 2/1893 Davis 34-103 523,686 7/1894 Sampson 34-238 2,547,238 4/ 1951 Tremblay 34-91 2,617,203 11/1952 Murray 34-133 2,827,276 3/ 1958 Racheter 34-133 3,157,475 11/ 1964 Stainbrook 34-133 MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Primary Examiner. FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Examiner. B. L. ADAMS, Assistant Examiner. 

5. IN A CLOTHES DRYER, A CABINET, A CYLINDRICAL DRYER DRUM JOURNALLED FOR ROTATION WITHIN SAID CABINET, AN OPENING OF A GIVEN SIZE FORMED IN ONE END OF SAID DRUM, A DRYER BASKET HAVING A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS HINGED TOGETHER TO ACCOMMODATE FOLDING OVER OF THE SECTIONS FROM AN OPEN STATE INTO A COMPACTLY ARRANGED FOLDED STATE, SAID BASKET BEING DIMENSIONED IN ITS FOLDED-OVER STATE FOR INSERTION THROUGH SAID DRUM OPENING INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID DRUM AND BEING SMALLER THAN THE INTERIOR DIAMETER OF SAID DRUM WHEN OPENED, AND MOUNTING MEANS SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING SAID OPEN BASKET WITHIN SAID DRUM INDEPENDENTLY OF THE SUPPORT OF SAID DRUM WHEREBY ON ROTATION OF THE DRUM THE BASKET REMAINS IN A FIXED NON-ROTATABLE POSITION. 